IFWG is pleased to announce the acquisition of Karen Bayly’s middle grade fantasy novel, The Witch That Wasn’t.

“We were very happy to take on this excellent manuscript,” said Gerry Huntman, Managing Director of IFWG, “in part due to it’s quality, but also because it fills an important forward catalogue niche for our middle grade titles – we have a strong track record with MG speculative fiction, and this book fits the bill perfectly.”

Karen Bayly is a writer, software test analyst, and author of three adult fiction books – Tesato’s Code, Fortitude, and Courage. Her short stories and poems have appeared in journals and anthologies from Overland, Toasted Cheese, Black Beacon Press, Black Hare Press, Specul8, and Crystal Lake Publishing.

Karen’s passion for writing began as a child when she wrote plays for her dolls to perform. These days, her Ph.D. in biology, her research background, and her fear for the future inform her writing, a fusion of science fiction, horror, and fantasy. She lives in the outer suburbs of Sydney, Australia, with two indoor cats, a guitar, and a ukulele.

When Tabitha Two Owls was a baby, the great wizard Odelfius pronounced her ‘The Witch Who Wasn’t’. Her best friend, Jemima Jerribode, believes that Odelfius didn’t intend any insult but merely forgot to finish his sentence. However, his proclamation left Tabitha doubting her identity. She has dedicated her life to proving her worth as a witch, with disastrous results.

Tabitha flunks her final school exam and fails to redeem herself at the Hall of Trials. The powerful Eldwitches ban her from practising magic, leaving her adrift in a sea of disillusion. But fate has a plan for the young witch. A series of events forces her to reclaim her magical heritage and lead a battle against an ancient evil threatening to destroy the land. In doing so, she understands what being The Witch Who Wasn’t truly means.

The Witch That Wasn’t will be released in the second quarter of 2025.